A series of bribery scandals dominated the news from Albany this year, but the legislative session ended without movement on the reform package proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. We asked New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman what he can do to clean up the state capital and how to keep New York’s elections fair in the future at our intimate luncheon and discussed pressing issues and legal battles
John Catsimatidis has built a supermarket empire in New York City. He wanted to be the city’s next mayor. With the support of former Gov. George Pataki, Catsimatidis battled Joe Lhota for a spot atop the Republican ticket. The Common Good was proud to present an evening reception with Catsimatidis as part of our NYC Mayoral Candidate Series.
Fighting has ravaged Syria for more than two years, as opposition forces and President Bashar al-Assad fight for control. The Common Good was proud to host a very special luncheon with a man who has connections to both sides in Syria. Ribal al-Assad is an outspoken supporter of the opposition movement and an exiled cousin of President Bashar al-Assad.
Congressional hearings have produced headlines and raised hackles over whether the Justice Department has misused its powers in going after The Associated Press and a Fox News reporter’s telephone records. We were privileged to host James Goodale, famed First Amendment attorney and author, to discuss his extremely timely and best-selling book “Fighting for the Press: The Inside Story of the Pentagon Papers and Other Battles.”
Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and former adviser to two Presidents, will joined The Common Good as part of our Middle East Series, for a luncheon briefing on security concerns in the region, the Arab “Autumn,” and updates on Syria, Israel, Egypt and Pakistan.
President Obama clearly has a place in history for breaking through the race barrier, but how will the rest of his presidency be remembered? The Common Good hosted a discussion comparing the current President and what may be viewed as his Presidential accomplishments with other Presidents in modern history.
The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel held a hearing March 13 to investigate sexual assault in the military. This issue was among the important topics that was discussed at a very special lunch on women in the military hosted by The Common Good, dedicated to the advancement of our women who serve.
The Common Good hosted a special luncheon event with astronaut Mark Kelly, husband of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords who was seriously wounded in a gun attack two years ago in Arizona. Mark discussed gun safety and gun violence, and the couple’s new effort, Americans for Responsible Solutions, which seeks to “prevent gun violence and protect responsible gun ownership.”
The MoMa, REACT to FILM and The Common Good at presented a screening of the Academy Award short-listed documentary “Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry.” “Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry” is the inside story of a political dissident for the digital age who inspires global audiences and blurs the boundaries of art and politics. The screening was followed by a Q&A with director Alison Klayman.
The Common Good was proud to present a special screening of an extraordinary film, “ETHEL,” about the life and work of Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy and, as the film proves, a force in her own right. The screening was followed by an informal conversation with the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Rory Kennedy and others.
Former Republican Senator from Wyoming Alan Simpson, co-chairman of the Simpson-Bowles plan and a key figure in the budget reform debate, spoke to members of The Common Good. The plain spoken former senator provided an intimate briefing on the impending “fiscal cliff” and prospects for a bipartisan solution to these problems.
The Common Good hosted former TARP Special Inspector General Neil Barofsky for a candid discussion of the bank bailout and aftermath and why citizens should not only feel shortchanged about what was supposed to be done with the billions spent on TARP, but the system vulnerabilities that still remain.
